Golf club separator



y 3, 1956 H. o. STAMP 2,752,973

GOLF CLUB SEPARATOR Filed July 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -fl- M E6, 5 INVENTOR.

July 3, 1956 H. o. STAMP GOLF CLUB SEPARATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1954 INVENTOR. H060 c9. STHMP BY W, m+ m A Tree/v5?! GULF CLUB SEPARATOR Hugo 0. Stamp, Milwaukee, Wis. Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,323

15 Claims. (Cl. 150-15) This invention relates to improvements in golf club separators. More particularly stated the invention relates to a partitioned golf club separator which is insertable into a golf bag to isolate the wooden club heads against mutual contact and against contact with the irons. Accordingly, the device of the present invention protects the protective and ornamental finish of the club heads against marring.

This application is a continuation-iu-part of my copending application Serial No. 161,680, filed May 12, 1950, now abandoned, for a Golf Club Separator.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a golf club separator and receptor with means for adjustably mounting it in a golf bag in such a manner that its position with respect to the bag bottom may be adjusted to accommodate the receptor to the clubs of any given set with the club shaft ends independently supported on the bottom and the club heads snugly nested in the receptor compartments. Accordingly, the receptor may be merchandized in one standard form and custom fit to any golf bag to receive the wooden clubs of any set, regardless of their specific length.

My invention may be embodied in different specific structures. In its preferred construction the separator is supported in the bag solely by a post or stick which rests on the bag bottom. The post is axially adjustable within the helical coils of a spring which also serves to maintain walls of the separator in assembled relationship.

A further object of the invention is to provide a separator which has an open top to facilitate drying the inverted club bottoms after they have been played through wet grass and to permit ready visual observation of club head indicia. The clubs may be simply withdrawn through the open top of the receptor as needed and replaced therein after use. in the device of my invention individual socks and/or other protective coverings requiring individual or collective manipulation are entirely dispense with.

In the preferred embodiments of my invention the compartment Walls converge downwardly and are lined with lambs wool or the like to provide a snug nest for the club heads. The club heads come into nested relation to the separator at the same time the club shafts bottom. Thus the Weight of the clubs is supported principally or solely by the bag bottom but the heads are held snugly against rattling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple partition separator having an easily fabricated construction to simplify assembly and reduce costs of manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent upon an examination of the following dis closure.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken through a golf bag provided with one embodiment of my separator.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the separator of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the component parts of the separator of Fig. l, the various parts being shown in spaced apart relationship.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a developed view of the downwardly converging wall portion of the separator showing the parti tions sewed thereto in one stage of my method of fabricating the separator.

Fig. 6 is a developed view of the sleeve portion of the separator.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the assembled separator in a stage in its fabrication prior to the step of turning it inside out.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a further modification of the invention.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 7 comprises a separator or receptor having a plurality of compartments, indicated generally by reference character it), sectorially clustered about a central axis. The compartments comprise an outer wall 11 which converges downwardly from the open top of the receptor to the club shaft receiving sleeve 17.. As best shown in Fig. 3 the flaring wall 11 of the separator is provided with a series of radial partitions 13 which sub-divide the receptor into compartments it) aforesaid. As indicated the compartments are of generally triangular configuration in plan to conform with the shape of golf club heads. Accordingly, the sectorial arrangement of the embodient of Figs. 1 through 7 provides for a compact cluster of club heads in minimum space.

The inner margins of the partitions 13 are perforated at M- to receive in threaded connection the axially spaced helical coils of spring 15. Spring 15 holds the partitions in radial position with respect to the axis of the separator and also provides at its portion which extends below the bottom edge of the partitions an adjustable connection for the rigid support member or post to. In use post 16 rests on the bag bottom 17 to support the separator therefrom. Post 16 is desirably provided with radial pegs or screws 20 which are so spaced as to engage spaced coils of the string 15 with moderate axial tension. For this purpose the pegs 2ll may be axially spaced a distance so related to the pitch of the threads to be disposed between adjacent coils, as shown, or to embrace adjacent coils, if desired. Accordingly, by rotating the post 16 on its axis, it may be advanced or retracted on the spring with respect to the separator. The friction between the pegs and spring and post and spring will hold the post in any position to which it is adjusted.

I may optionally provide a multiple compartment lambs wool liner 21 which may be nested into the separator compartments to provide a cushioned surface against which the club heads 22 nest. The liners are made of separate cups having downwardly converging walls sewed together at their top margins 24- to limit the extent to which the liner seats in the separator. The separator partitions 13 fit between the liner cups so that each compartment of the separator will receive one liner cup. The liner cups, of course, are open at their bottom for passage of the club shanks 23. To positively position the liner it is desirably sewn completely around its top margin to the separator on the line of stitching 31.

The receptor receives the wooden clubs of a golf club set, the irons of which are collectively illustrated by reference character 25. The irons may conventionally ride loosely in the bag as. The highly polished heads of the wooden clubs 22, however, are protected by the receptor from marring contact with each other and from marring contact with the irons.

. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 through 7 the receptor is Patented July 3, i955 supported in the bag solely upon its post 16 and independently of the clubs which are individually supported on their shafts. If the receptor is sold to a tall person having clubs with long shanks 23 the post 16 will be adjusted in spring 15 to be of such a length that the heads 22 of long clubs will snugly nest against the downwardly converging walls of the liner 21 at the same time that the shanks 23 rest upon the bag bottom 17. If the receptor is sold to a shorter person having clubs with short shanks 23 the post 16 is simply axially adjusted to lower the receptor in the bag to maintain the same nesting relationship of the club heads in the receptor when the ends of their shorter shafts rest upon the bag bottom.

The slight difference in shaft length between the four woods is accommodated by the fact that the longer clubs normally have larger heads, thus nesting them higher against the top end compartment walls, and because the compression of the cushion lining 21 under pressure of the heads 22 is somewhat variable.

An alternative manner of supporting the receptor from the bag is shown in Fig. 8 in which the receptor sleeve 27 is provided with a series of vertically spaced eyelets 28 through which a cord 29 may be selectively laced to support the receptor from the hinge ring 30 of bag handle 33. In the embodiment of Fig. 8 the post may be omitted entirely. In commercial practice, however, I may provide the separator with both the eyelets 28 and the post 16, leaving it up to the purchaser to decide in what manner the separator will be adjustably supported from the bag. Even when the post 16 is used as a sole support the purchaser may still wish to use the eyelets 28 to hold the separator against one side of the bag away from the II'ODS.

In Figs. through 7 I illustrate steps in the preferred method of separator fabrication. In developed plan the tapered portion of the separator 11 is crescent-shaped. The partitions 13 may be laid flat on wall 11 with their outer margins 32 disposed radially and sewn to the wall 11 along lines of stitching 34. The sleeve portion 12 of the separator, which appears as a rectangle in developed plan, may then be sewed on line 37 to the smaller arcuate edge of the tapered portion 11 and both portions entubed by stitching abutting margins of the respective portions as indicated at 35 and 36 in Fig. 7. The separator is now turned inside out from its position shown in Fig. 7 to its position shown in Fig. 3 in which the coil spring has also been threaded to the perforated margins of the partitions. Threading the post 16 into the portion of the spring 15 which extends beyond the lower edge of the partitions 13 completes the assembly of the separator.

By assembling the separator parts and sewing them together with the inside face of wall 11 exposed, and then turning the separator inside out, all of the seams are disposed at the inside of the separator, thus leaving the outer surface of the separator smooth and unbroken.

The tapered and sleeve portions 11 and 12 of the separator are desirably made of pliable material, such as leather or light weight plastic. The partitions 13 are desirably made of relatively heavier gauge plastic, such as Vinylite etc. which resiliently hold the mouth of the separator in open position to receive club heads after use and to tend to spring the separator mouth to open position after the separator has been folded for transport.

In Fig. 9 I show an embodiment of the invention in which only two club receiving compartments are provided. In this embodiment the compartments are individually constituted and each comprises a sleeve portion 39 and a tapered portion 4h. The abutting margins 41 of the cups thus formed are perforated to receive the coils of spring 42. The spring fastens the walls together and also provides at its lower projecting end an exposed connection for the post 43. As in the embodiment of Fig. 1 the post has radial pegs or screws 44 by which it may be adjustably positioned with respect to the spring.

This embodiment of the invention is particularly adapted for use with an oblong golf bag 45 which may have individual club compartments 46. Compartments 46 are formed by longitudinal and transverse webs 47 extending across the top rim 48 of the bag. Two separators may be used in a bag of this type to dispose the four wooden clubs in substantial straight line alignment across the longitudinal center line of the bag.

While I have shown but two compartments in the embodiment of Fig. 9, it is clear that additional compartments could be added in a sectorial arrangement simply by threading the perforated margins of entubed compartment walls to the coils of spring 42.

In all of the embodiments of the invention in which an axial spring is used the spring acts as a central or axial backbone which holds the separator upright. The spring may yield under lateral pressure, however, to permit the separator to absorb shocks, and will resiliently return the separator to upright position thereafter.

I claim:

1. An accessory for a golf bag having a bottom upon which shaft ends of golf clubs rest for support, said accessory comprising a receptor having walls forming club head receiving compartments, and means on the receptor engageable with the bag to support the receptor independently of the clubs, together with means for adjustably positioning the receptor with respect to the bag bottom on which the club shafts rest whereby the club heads may be made to snugly nest in said receptor compartments when the club shaft ends rest on the bag bottom, regardless of the length of said shafts.

2. The accessory of claim 1 in which the receptor is open at its top to expose the inverted bottoms of the club heads, said walls comprising sleeves extending along the sides of said club heads and partly along the club shafts whereby to protect said sides of the club heads and shafts, said sleeves being open at their lowermost ends for projection therethrough of the club shafts.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said receptor is provided with a support comprising a laterally yieldable spring whereby said receptor is resiliently returnable to upright position after lateral deformation.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the means supporting the receptor from the bag comprises a post extending from said receptor to engagement with the bottom of the bag.

5. The device of claim 4 in which said receptor is provided with a backbone spring having helical coils, said post being axially received within the coils of said spring and having means engageable therewith upon which the post may be axially adjusted with respect to the receptor by rotating it within said spring, said means comprising the means for adjustably positioning the receptor with respect to the bag bottom.

6. The device of claim 5 in which said compartment Walls comprise an outer wall and partition walls forming together compartments of generally triangular configuration whereby to conform with and nest heads of golf clubs positioned therewithin, the said partition walls being generally convergent toward a common axis to dispose the compartments sectorially thereabout, said partition walls having inner margins with perforations engaged by the helical coils of said spring.

7. The device of claim 5 in which said compartment walls have perforated margins with which the coils of said spring are engaged.

8. An accessory for a golf bag having a bottom upon which shaft ends of golf clubs rest for support, said accessory comprising a receptor having walls forming club head receiving compartments, and means on the receptor engageable with the bag to support the receptor independently of the clubs, together with means for adjustably positioning the receptor with respect to the bag bottom on which the club shafts rest whereby the club heads may be made to snugly nest in said receptor compartmentswhen the club shaft ends rest on the bag bottom regardless of the length of said shafts, said compartment walls comprising an outer wall and partition walls forming together compartments of generally triangular configuration whereby to conform with and nest the heads of golf clubs positioned therewithin, the said partition walls being generally convergent toward a common axis to dispose the compartments sectorially thereabout.

9. An accessory for a golf bag having a bottom upon which shaft ends of golf clubs rest for support, said accessory comprising a receptor having walls forming club head receiving compartments, and means on the receptor engageable with the bag to support the receptor independently of the clubs, together with means for adjustably positioning the receptor with respect to the bag bottom on which the club shafts rest whereby the club heads may be made to snugly nest in said receptor compartments when the club shaft ends rest on the bag bottom regardless of the length of said shafts, said compartment walls comprising walls having perforated margins, and a spring having helical coils engaged with said perforated mar-- gins to fasten said margins together.

10. In a device of the character described the combination with a golf club separator having support means comprising a spring having helical coils, of a supporting post within the coils of said spring, said post having means engageable with said coils by which said post is adjustable with respect to said receptor by rotating it in said spring. 1

11. The device of claim in which the coils of said spring are axially spaced, said post being provided with pegs projecting outwardly between said coils and engaged therewith.

12. A method of fabricating a golf club separator comprising the steps of prefabricating an outer wall and inner partition walls, fastening said partition walls to the inside face of said outer wall, fastening the end margins of the outer wall together to form a tube having the partition walls exteriorly thereof, turning said tube inside out to dispose the partitions within said tube and fastening the free margins of said partitions to form generally radially disposed club head separators.

13. The method of claim 12 plus the additional steps of perforating the free margins of said partitions and engaging the coils of a helical spring with said perforated margins to fasten said partitions.

14. The method of claim 12 plus the intermediate step of sewing an extension sleeve to one end of the outer wall and substantially concurrently entubing said outer Wall and said sleeve.

15. An accessory for a golf bag having a bottom and open at its upper end, said accessory comprising a reccptor freely receivable into and removable from the upper end of the bag and having downwardly converging walls forming individual club head receiving compartments open at their tops to pass clubs therethrough and open at their bottoms to pass the club shafts therethrough, and a support post connected to said receptor for unitary movement therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom and of such length as to engage the bag bottom to support the receptor from the bag bottom in a position in which the club heads within said receptor compartments substantially seat within the downwardly converging walls thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,227,657 Pierce May 29, 1917 1,711,344 Evans Apr. 30, 1929 2,014,589 Saad Sept. 17, 1935 2,464,101 Schoenike Mar. 8, 1949 2,471,169 Salzberg et al May 24, 1949 2,633,173 Reed Mar. 31, 1953 

